Just like Moringa Oleifera, coconut tree has many uses from being a healthy food, medicine, and even shelter. The coconut oil health benefits deserve it as a superfood, too.

Mercola.com’s video describes it well briefly and precisely. I’ve been using coconut products since my childhood and back as far as my great, great grandparents. In fact, my entire family line and people in the entire community have been using it.

This article does not aim to provide comprehensive details about the coconut tree. Instead, it focuses on one product extracted from the coconut, the coconut oil. Let us together explore coconut oil health benefits and its many uses.

The Coconut Oil

Dr. Bruce Fife, author of many health books, certified nutritionist and naturopathic physician says that coconut oil is one of the most misunderstood fats.

It has been portrayed by some as an artery-clogging saturated fat that causes heart disease. The good news, there are lots of experts in the field of health have been advocating its use because it’s healthy.

As a matter of fact, coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils in the planet. I myself and many regular users of coconut oil can confirm it.

Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil

When it comes to healthy oils, Olive oil stands out because it is a monounsaturated fat, which is a heart-friendly fat or oil. Experts have no argument on that except vegans.

For years, coconut oil had been left out and rejected by many health experts because it is a saturated fat, a fat vilified by healthy experts earlier to cause heart disease by raising cholesterol level.

Recent research disproved the earlier findings that an increase in cholesterol causes heart disease, and this increase is due to saturated fat, and so, saturated fats should be avoided.

Now, it’s more a myth as previously covered. Thanks to health experts who are brave enough to come forward and dispel the cholesterol myth.

Again below is a video with Dr. Bruce Fife comparing coconut oil health benefits and olive oil. However, this is no way to discredit the health benefits of olive oil.

Many people including myself are using both oils. Olive oil tastes great on salads. Hence, this is not by means of telling people to choose one over the other.

If you can have both why not as each oil has its particular uses. For instance, olive oil can’t be use for cooking at high temperature as it will oxidize and make it unhealthy.

Coconut oil, however, can be used for cooking at high temperature because it’s saturated and more stable. It’s not as delicious when used on salads as olive oil does.

Coconut Oil Confusion Cleared

One of the world’s leading health experts in natural medicine is Dr. Mercola and here in the video below he explains and clears up some confusion about coconut oil especially it contains mostly of saturated fat and how saturated fat became a bad fat.

Even though health experts earlier considered coconut oil a bad fat or oil, people in tropical cultures mostly in Asia continue to use it as part of a nutritional diet, which as been a staple for centuries. For centuries, these cultures are enjoying coconut oil health benefits.

Learn a quick history lesson with Dr. Mercola about coconut oil. He also recommends coconut oil as replacement for unhealthy oils specially those vegetable oils.

What’s In The Coconut Oil?

One of the components in coconut oil is MCT or medium chain triglycerides. Dr. Alexander J. Rinehart of Arizona Nutrition Center explains more about the potent benefits of MCT in coconut oil.

One study finds that MCT oil1 is a potential agent for preventing obesity.

Coconut Oil Health Benefits

The coconut as a whole has been used for both and medicine by diverse people in various cultures, religions, and races all over the globe.

Whenever you see a coconut tree grows in that, be assure the people have already learned how to use it and benefit from its benefits whether as food or medicine. Each culture has each own unique way of using it.

In mainstream medicine, coconut may not be as popular as the medicines produced by pharmaceuticals.

However, traditional medicine or known today as alternative medicine has been using coconut to treat a wide array of health issues.

Dr. Bruce Fife and His Wife Leslie Discuss Coconut Oil

As you might have noticed already, I keep mentioning Dr. Bruce Fife, and that’s because if there’s a person you should ask about coconut oil benefits, it’s him. He is the founder of the CoconutResearchCenter.org and has been studying coconut oil for a long time.

The great about him also is there is no conflict of interest because he does not own a franchise or a company that sells specific coconut oil product.

I believed he is a pure educator and along with other people around the world who are advocates of coconut oil like the late Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit(1) (2) (3) from the Philippines, and his son Fabian M. Dayrit(1) (2) (34) (5) who published the 2013 Edition of the book “Coconut Oil – From Diet To Therapy”.

The video above you’ve just watched(I hope you’ve watched it already) is just one of the many interviews of Bruce Fife.

If you’re interested on learning more about what Bruce says on coconut oil, checkout more videos here, or watch them at iHealthTube.

Bruce Fife also wrote the book “The Coconut Ketogenic Diet“, which is available at Amazon.com. I’ve been on a ketogenic diet for weight loss and weight maintenance purposes.

When I first get into ketogenic dieting, my main purpose was to lose weight, but eventually, my outlook shifted and I now actually using and incorporating it into a healthy eating routine.

Shifting into a ketogenic diet is amazing for maintaining an ideal weight. Sticking to a ketogenic diet makes it easy to maintain the weight with minimal exercise.

Research On Coconut Oil

If you’re someone who likes to read study findings before accepting the truth about coconut oil, you will not be disappointed. There are hundreds(I think) of research conducted on coconut oil.

However, I’m not going to list them all one by one here. Instead, I’m going to refer you to Coconut Research Center’s comprehensive coconut studies.

Bruce Fife carefully laid out the research and categorized them properly so if you’re looking for specific research on coconut oil for cardiovascular health, you can simply go directly to that section.

There are a lot of things to talk about coconut particular its oil. So, if you’re going to be an expert on it…better prepare yourself because there’s a lot to learn. I think the best place to start learning about coconut oil from here is at Coconut Research Center with Bruce Fife.

List Of Research On Coconut includes coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut meat or kernels, and a look on various people or cultures who are eating coconut as part of their diet.

If you’re interested in knowing the nutritional facts of coconut, check this list.

Here’s another recommended reading for coconut oil from Organic Facts.

It covers the different varieties of coconut oil from pure coconut oil to extra virgin coconut oil as well as the brief overview on a processing of oil extraction from the coconut.

My Personal Uses Of Coconut Oil

Once you get to know and starting to use coconut oil, its uses are limitless from food to medicine. Allow me to share a few of my favorite uses of coconut oil.

1. Coffee Creamier

I use coconut oil every morning on my cold brew coffee. The combination of coffee either conventionally or cold brewed is amazing.

In addition, I also include unsalted grass-fed butter and cinnamon powder on it. I prefer cold brew because it is less acidic as the conventionally brewed coffee. I like it sugar-free, as well.

2. Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Purposes

When it comes to fat, healthy fats are a must for losing weight. Since I was a young boy, coconut oil has been a part of a regular diet, as well as coconut milk and coconut water from young coconut known as “buko”, which I’ve mentioned previously at this article.

Unfortunately, during my college days and employment times, I was caught in the idea that coconut oil is bad because it’s saturated fat without thinking I’ve been using it for years since childhood and never experience any negative effects.

I was blinded by Western-type diet especially the booming of fast foods where I can just fall in line, order and eat ready-cooked meals.

That habit along with drinking sugary beverages like soda finally took a toll on me. It made me gained weight and became overweight. To be exact I was 35% overweight and experiencing various health issues including feeling stressed easily and difficulty walking even with a 100-meter distance.

It was a struggle for me to climb on stairs and it’s difficult to breathe, as well. I realized I have to do something, or otherwise, I would be one of those obese people walking around with regular visits to the doctor bringing along the prescriptions.

Through that journey which I’ve shared on this article, coconut oil is one of the helpful components for my good nutrition since that time up to present.

3. Skin and Hair Conditioners

Yes, I don’t buy lotion and don’t use sunscreen either. Coconut oil is both effective for skin and hair conditioning.

4. Topical Anti-Bacterial

Whenever I have rashes or wounds and even for my entire family’s skin problems, coconut oil never fails. It’s antibacterial, and the great thing about coconut oil is it can be taken orally and topically.

5. Flavor When Cooking Rice

Back in May 2015, news came out about the discovery of coconut oil to turn rice into a resistant starch when added during its cooking process.

For me, there was nothing new except for the fact on resistant starch. We’ve been using coconut oil to flavor rice because it does not only brings aromatic flavor but better taste, as well.

6. Homemade Toothpaste (Coconut Oil + Baking Soda)

For years I had no idea I have a sensitivity to fluoride. Almost my entire life since the time I was introduced to toothpaste with fluoride I unconditionally accepted that it is good for maintaining strong teeth without questioning what is it.

However, a few months ago when I read news about the effect of fluoride and what really is fluoride, I didn’t hesitate to look for an alternative.

I was already thinking of replacing my current toothpaste with a non-fluoride one, but it came to my mind why not try a homemade toothpaste consisting of coconut oil and baking soda, which I’ve read a lot of times online. Then, my wife and I made our first homemade toothpaste and in just days I felt a huge relief from back pain.

For sure, it was due to the quitting in using a toothpaste containing. I didn’t try the non-fluoride commercial toothpaste because I’m in love with my homemade toothpaste which I feel a lot cleaner and no more bad breath as well. It’s probably the effect of coconut oil’s antibacterial property.

7. Cooking with Coconut Oil

Since 2013, we cook most of our dishes with coconut oil. I say “most” because we still use some other oils like palm oil for frying, and of course olive oil on salads. Coconut oil is also delicious on salads, as well. In fact, if there is no olive oil available, we’re using coconut oil.

8. Coconut Milk For Cooking Various Dishes

Coconut oil is great for stir frying a wide variety of foods like vegetables, but coconut milk has its own unique taste when use in a dish especially along with curry powder or just turmeric. Coconut milk is also delicious when cooked with Moringa leaves.

9. Massage Oil

– When it comes to massage oil of choice, I like coconut oil better than other oils. Additionally, if you’re into testicular massaging, coconut oil is also a good choice.

For more uses and learn some recipes about coconut oil, Wellness Mama provided 101 uses of coconut oil plus.

Coconut Oil For Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the coconut oil health benefits is for brain health. Here’s a story of told by Dr. Mary Newport with her experience about using coconut oil on his husband’s Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Newport is the author of the book Alzheimer’s Disease: What If There Was a Cure? available at Amazon.com.

Additionally, she also wrote a case study article while administering coconut oil on her husband, which shows great results.

Her website(coconutketones.com) also provides other articles that she wrote with regards to her personal experience using coconut oil for Alzheimer’s disease on her husband, Steve.

Final Thoughts

Coconut oil, although it is a saturated fat, it has numerous health benefits. I know there are people out there who skeptical about the true nature of coconut oil. In my own personal experience, it is healthy. Just as with olive oil, use it as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Don’t expect good results from using it while engaging in unhealthy habits and lifestyles engaging heavily on alcoholism, smoking and sleep deprivation. Coconut oil, although touted as a “miracle tree”, it cannot perform its miracle when use inappropriately.

It’s common sense. If you want to be healthy, then eat healthily and engage in a regular physical activity. One notable thing about coconut oil is its ketogenic nature. This is one of the many coconut oil health benefits that you can get.

For people who are struggling to lose weight, it’s helpful. And, I believed regular consumption of coconut oil is also helpful when it comes to maintaining and restoring the proper balance of gut bacteria, which plays a huge role for man’s health and wellness.

When it comes to getting good quality (Virgin) Coconut Oil (VCO), always check local supplier near you. There are also online sellers of coconut oil like wildernessfamilynaturals.com, which imports their coconut oil from the Philippines.

If you have no idea where to get it locally or online try checking Amazon.com as it caters a wide variety of coconut oil vendors from all over the U.S. and even globally.

Quality Matters

One way of recognizing a good quality coconut oil especially if you’re buying it online like from Amazon, for instance, is to check previous buyers review. Usually, happy buyers or customers tend to come back and leave reviews, or if unhappy also leave their comments.

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